Hand truck



Feb. 25, 1930. F. J. MILLER- HAND TRUCK v Filed May 31, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 b. 25, 193K). F. .J, MILLER 1,748,573 I HAND TRU K File l may 51, .1928 Z SneQ S-Sh et 2 0M1]- %?jM//2 MW I Patented Feb. 25, 1 930 wa Jo MILLER, or ABIBI ETON, W ISCONSI1\I HAND TRUCK Application fileama 31,

This invention pertains tohand trucks of V the two-wheel type, and" has primarily forits object to provideameans' for automatically ,7 brakingthe wheels, as the load" is picked up, and releasingthe same as truck is swung to transporting position. 1

Incidental to the foregoing it is a more specific object of the present inventiontoprovide a shiftable mounting for the wheels of a' '10 truck, whereby-they move into engagement with: braking means carried by the'truck, as the load is picked up, and free themselves as I the truck is lowered to-transporting' position.

, With theabove and other objects in View, which will appear as the description pro:

"ceeds, the invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the-append- 9 ed claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the 7 herein disclosed invention may be made as- I U kicking offthe;dog'lhwlnchreleasessthe axlea come within the scope of the claims. In :the accompanying drawings is illustrated one complete example ofthe physical embodiment ofthe present invention constructed according to the best mode so far devisedfor the practical application of the principles thereof. 7 Figure 1 is an elevation of a truckconstruoted in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view.

the line 33 of Figure 2, showing the f Figure 4 is an elevation illustrat'ng the" wheels in their braking position. I

comp'anying drawings, the numeral 1 designates the conventional frame structure com- ,pr1s1ng the longltudlnal sideframes 2 connected by cross members 8. Secured to the side frames adjacent their forward ends are a a pair of brackets 4: provided with lateral offset brake shoes 5, the braking surfaces of which are provided with theusual brake linings6. i V

5 7 Pivotally connected to the brackets 4 are a 3 Figure 3 is a longitudinal section taken p v Kon' truck in upright position, with the wheelsg locked in their free position, and

Referring now more particularly to the ac- 'sition.

192s! Serra-1* no. 281,977;

pair of arms 7, the free ends of which carry the axle shaft 8, on which are mounted a pairof supporting wheels9. In thenormaltransporting" position of'the truck the free ends ofthe arms 7, which are provided with the projecting lugs-'10, engage the brackets- 4, and serve to furnish a rigid supportfor the arms, thus eliminating strain and wear on their pivots. I

To normally latch the wheels in their free transporting position, a (lOglI is pivotally secured to a suitable bracket 12 carried by one of the cross members 3}, and is adapted to engage the axle shaft 8, toprevent swinging of the arms 7. V I

In practice, when a truck of this typeis tilted to upright position to=take.:i1p: a load, the supporting wheels are utilized as fult-- crums, and therefore it is essential to lock the same to prevent'movement'of thetruck as the frame-is swung downwardly;

shaft and permits the arms"? to swingrear Wardly'until thefwheels engagethe brake 75735 shoes. 5; This action is-readily accomplished inthat the axle shaft is positioned slightly rearwardly of the pivots of the arms? when the truck is in upright position, As the frame 1 isswung downwardly tov pickup: theload,it

is obvious that the weight of the contents of the truck will serve to forcetlie brake shoes into positive engagement with the wheelsl9 to revent their movement; As shown-in Figure the dog 11 is soxweighted thatwh'en the? same is'kicked oifof the axle shaft 8-, gravity will hold it in the released position shown in.- dotted lines.

As-the truck is swung downwardly, the

wheels remain. in locked position until thecenter of. the" axle shaft passes forwardly of the pivot of the arms 7?, after which theaxle,

shaft will swing forwardly to its normal position releasing the wheels from the brake shoes, and thegravity dog-11,. which is thon swung overcenter willagain engage the axle; shaftv 8 to latch the samein transporting pd I r From "the foreg' ing it-will; be seen that. a

very simple, inexpensive and eflicient- 'm'ech anism has been provided, which, when manually released, will automatically brake the wheels as the load is picked up, and thereafter release the wheels as the truck is swung to transporting position.

While the use of means for latching the wheels in their free position has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that the same is not absolutely essential to the present invention, in that the wheels will antomatically shift to the desired position upon tilting or lowering the truck. However, the latch is provided to eliminate any possibility of the wheels engaging the brake shoes while the truck is being transported.

Also, while the dog 11 is illustrated and described as being released by kicking off the same with the foot, it is obvious that any manual'means might be employed for releasing the dog, such as a hand lever brought to a convenient point for manipulation by the operator.

It will further be understood that while I have shown and described the axle shaft 8 as being pivotally carried by the truck frame, the salient feature of the invention is the shiftabilty of the wheels to automatically bring them into and out of engagement with the brake shoes when desired, and inasmuch as this may be accomplished by shifting the wheels in numerous ways, I do not desire the invention to be limited to the specific structure illustrated.

I claim 1. A hand truck comprising a frame, braking means carried by said frame, and a pair of wheels shiftably carried by said frame to engage said braking means when the frame is in upright'position.

2. A hand truck comprising a frame, a pair of brake shoes carried by said frame, and

7. A hand truck comprising a frame, a

pair of brackets carried by said frame, brake shoes carried. by said brackets, a pair of arms pivotally carried by said brackets, an axle shaft carried by the free ends of said arms,

I and wheels carried by said axle shaft for en- 8. Ahand truck comprising a frame,

pair of brackets carried by said frame, brake shoes carried by said brackets, a pair of arms pivotally carried by said brackets, an axle shaft carried by the free ends of said arms, wheels carried by said axle shaft for engagement with said brake shoeswhen the said frame is tilted to upright position, and manually releasable means for latching said axle shaft against shifting.

a In testimony that I. claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Appleton, in the county of Outagamie and State of Wisconsin.

' FRED J. MILLER.

a pair of wheels shiftably carried by said frame to engage said brake shoes when the frame is in upright position.

3. A hand truck comprising a frame, braking means carried by said frame, wheels shiftably carried by said [frame to engage said braking means, and manually releasable -means for latching said wheels against shift- 7 

